The Roosevelt 2.0: Simple, Collective, and Sustainable
Bryan Roberts speaks to a group at the Roosevelt 2.0
By: Janet Harrison
TAMPA, Florida – Every day, we are faced with thinking through solutions. We sometimes poll others for advice to problems, and when the answer is presented, we laugh at how simple the solution can be.
And so it was when Bryan Roberts and Rudy Arnauts put their varied backgrounds together: clever met smart, sagacity met serendipity. Solutions became clear and the Roosevelt 2.0 was born.
As Florida struggles to recover as one of the hardest hit in the nation by a weak economy and fragile real estate market, the doors have opened to a breathtaking renovation in Ybor City – cool and quiet, yet bustling with energy, activity and vision.
The Roosevelt 2.0 solar panel rooftop overlooking Ybor City, Tampa
As part of this renovation, Roberts and Arnauts formed an innovative partnership to create The Roosevelt 2.0 – a community flex-space, a venue for education, collaborative business and technology partnerships, artistic expression, and most importantly, a working model of cost-effective, sustainable urban design.
The real story however lies in the way this partnership approached the renovation and has already made a positive impact on the economy.
Arnauts refers to Roberts as the “Green MacGyver.” He says, “I look at the life cycle of things and how they interact with each other.” Arnauts applies the principles of permaculture to the renovation of the previously condemned building. “We look at the resources we have available and determine the best way to utilize those to get the most yield. In nature there is no waste. It is cyclical and circular, so we have taken the approach of identifying where waste occurs.”
We walk over to an unoccupied space near the front door that will become an interior vertical garden. Roberts explains, “As we plan our rooftop garden, I look around at Ybor and see this expanse of flat roof and the potential for rooftop gardens. Plants can reduce the temperature by as much as 15 degrees around the leaf structure and significantly reduce energy consumption.”
Early renovations for the Roosevelt 2.0
In addition, the water from the interior vertical and rooftop garden will be used in the aquaponic system. “Fish waste will be pumped into our rooftop and vertical garden where plants will use that as nutrients and act as a natural biological filter for those waste products. It is a closed loop system with very little waste.”
And then there is the serendipitous factor: Roberts explains the story behind the name through a mural that has become a defining image for The Roosevelt 2.0. Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, was part of Tampa’s history, camping his Rough Rider troops on the grounds of what would become The University of Tampa’s Plant Park.
Rudy Arnauts is interviewed about the Roosevelt 2.0
Home-schooled as a child because of frequent illness, Roosevelt was first a naturalist. He used his political position to voice his concerns, remarking that, “In utilizing and conserving the natural resources of our nation, the most essential characteristic is foresight.” After learning that Roosevelt used the previously condemned space as a barn for his beloved horses, the name became obvious.
“We had no money when we started this project – no resources, no funds.” But they had foresight. “We felt like it was something people needed to see and needed to learn about. We didn’t want to create a typical green building where the cost is 20-50% higher than typical construction. We set about to find technology partners, and let other people know these resources are out there.”
Arnauts, the business development expert in this partnership, explains how a $500 materials sponsorship was leveraged to pave the way for several thousand dollars worth of LED lighting and a new roof. An engineering friend and antique car enthusiast, agreed to provide the data for a new soy-based roofing material not available in Florida at the time, using his new auto trailer to test the product. A local applicator agreed to apply it, and in exchange has become the distributor for the product. This is what they have tried to do with all of the relationships surrounding the Roosevelt 2.0 – create win-win situations for everyone.
“We pull our collective networks together with an open, transparent flow of skills and resources. This benefits all of us that much more, accomplishing more than we could ever on our own. It is truly proof of concept.”
A number of different businesses have been launched out of the project, including an organic coffee and tea bar and in-house film production studio.
“We give people the place and the opportunity to use this space and create their dreams.”
Arnauts has seen that when you combine honesty with reciprocity, it equals scalability – whether they are creating innovative partnerships or polling collective expertise to help give wings to someone’s dream. Their approach to urban design and unique business partnerships reflects a new type of solution for business – simple, collective and sustainable.
Janet Harrison is a native of Tampa, where she resides with her two teenage sons. Her father is credited with instilling in her a great respect for the natural environment and highly ethical business practices. Janet’s passion for sustainability grew during her time with Apple and Xerox. She is a free-lance writer, frequent presenter at universities and events regarding corporate sustainability, and is an Account Executive with EcoAsset Solutions.
Category: Featured
About the Author (Author Profile)
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
The Roosevelt 2.0 is a unique addition to the Tampa community. Bryan and Rudy are truly pioneers for taking on a project like this. If you know of people or organizations that are making a positive impact in sustainability in your area, I’d love to hear more. Message me on Twitter @janet_harrison.